Designer Cookie Cutters - Sis 1

If you ever want to make cookie cut-outs and don't have the shape you need, just make your own cookie-cutters.

You'll need:

Galvanized Steel Hanger Strap (You can get 10 feet for about $2.50 at Home Depot, in the plumbing section.)

Pliers

Tin Snips (Really heavy-duty scissors might work.)

A Twist Tie

or

A Food Can

For more complicated shapes you're better off using the hanger strap. You can make a lot of cookie cutters out of 10 feet, and I use hanger strap for other things, as well, so it's really a good investment if you like to jerry-rig things like I do.

Draw out your shape on a piece of paper. As you can see I drew a helmet that was too big first, and decided I'd have to make a lot of dough if I were going to use that size of cookie cutter, so I re-drew it smaller.

Using the tin snips, cut a piece of strap about the length you'll need to go all around your shape. It's better to cut it too long than too short. You could measure the length you'll need with a piece of string, but where's the fun in that? Place one end of your strap at a corner, if there is one in your shape. Now start bending your strap to fit the drawing on your paper. It bends quite easily, so you can do most of this with your hands, but you may need to smooth curves or make tighter corners with the pliers.

Once you have the shape right, cut off the excess strap and thread the twist tie into the two closest holes to the ends of the strap. Twist until tight, making sure to meet the two ends up at the right angle. If there are no corners in your shape, overlap the strap a bit before you cut off the excess, then use your twist tie to connect the ends parallel to each other. Cut off the extra twist tie. Wash your new cookie cutter in with soap and hot water.

If your desired shape is very simple and based on a circle, just remove both ends of a food can and bend it to the proper shape. If you can't remove both ends, it's okay, but it will be easier to remove stuck cookie dough if you cut off both ends. Wash your new cookie cutter. I don't feel the need to keep tin can cookie-cutters around. They're so simple that you can make a new one next time.

I used this recipe for my Super-bowl cookies, but I added an extra yolk to the dough to help keep them from falling apart so easily.